Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
Arc: Syracuse is among a solid group of No. 1 seeds in our latest tournament projections, but the middle of the pack is much more murky.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
NBCSports.com illustrationBut Jackson knows about repeating from a Lakers’ perspective, too. He led a previously directionless band of talent to titles in 2000, 2001 and 2002. No matter what constitutes a dynasty in barroom arguments about the NBA, Jackson certainly is an expert in winning three titles in a row.
“We talked about it as a team,” Gasol said. “It came from Day 1 from Phil, the mindset that we’re going to have to have, what we’re going to face from now on this year, how hard it’s going to be and how much work we’re going to have to put in, even more than we did last year, in order to repeat.
“We’re all aware that it’s a long run. But we have to start it off right and make sure we’re at the top of our game from the beginning.”
Any repeat talk, any dynasty talk, doesn’t happen without Kobe playing at a high level. He’s 31 years old and is entering his 14th NBA season. At some point, he’ll slow down. At some point, he’ll decline. At some point.
“I see him going up,” Gasol said. “He got really good rest this summer. I see him really fresh. I see him as very, very hungry. I think he’s in a very good place. We really don’t have to worry about him.”
Even if Bryant’s productivity dips noticeably this season, the Lakers should have enough around him to fight off challengers. And there are a few serious ones. Boston added Rasheed Wallace, and the Celtics hope to have a healthy Kevin Garnett all season. LeBron James now has Shaquille O'Neal in Cleveland. San Antonio acquired Richard Jefferson. Denver and Portland, teams on the rise in the West, presumably are a year older, wiser and hungrier.
But the team in the best position to produce a new dynasty resides in Los Angeles.
“I think so,” said Artest, when asked if the Lakers had a chance to put a string of titles together. “I think a lot of other people believe that also.”
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
Paul Pierce has been around long enough to know what Rajon Rondo's performance can mean for the aging Boston Celtics.
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Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.